Education and Training

The quickest way to get on track as a chef is to go to culinary school. There are many schools in the United States and Canada that offer culinary programs. Many chefs learn the old-fashioned way, however, and work their way up through the ranks by watching and learning from the more experienced chefs in the kitchen. If you have an aptitude for cooking and are not going to attend a cooking school, try your hand working as a cook or a member of a line in a restaurant. Another option is to take occasional classes while you work in a restaurant to improve your skills.